The Exorcist
by Eri Chan-chan
Summary: The secret is out. D. Gray-man is real. Innocence has awakened in our modern day, and Justin Davis is one of many of the new chosen Apostles. Follow his journey, know the truth. [DROPPED]
1. Entry 1, Part One

**D. Gray-man © Katsura Hoshino. Vocaloid © Crypton Inc.**

Dear journal,

I've never been on a plane before, so this is a first. I just wish this trip was on better terms. It was literally only hours ago that my life was just fine. Now look at me. I'm sitting on a private plane to some hidden island near England. That place will be my new home – or so Ray says. Ray is this beautiful girl, sleeping in the aisle across from me. She's an Exorcist. She's the reason I'm in this mess.

...It started out as a great summer afternoon, when I woke up at one. Mom never minded how late I slept in during summer, so when I came out of my room, she welcomed me with a smile. "Well, it's about time, young man!" she exclaimed, making my little sister giggle. Mom stood from the couch and came to give me a hug. Ever since I turned sixteen three days ago, she'd been acting really weird. She actually burst out crying when we were in the bookstore as I picked out a new manga.

Now she's made sure that she hugs me and kisses me when I wake up and before I went to sleep, before and after I went anywhere. It was starting to get on my nerves, but I didn't tell her so.

Mom hugged me tight, kissing my bedhead hair. "Ooh!" she exclaimed, stepping back. "Justin, you stink, honey. When are you gonna take a shower?"

I grinned. "I will after a swim, yeah?" I said, scratching the back of my neck. She reluctantly agreed, then went back to the living room to finish watching her show. My little sister waved to me from her place on the floor, playing with her dolls. I gave her a half-wave and went to the freezer to get some breakfast.

What can I say about my life? My mom's name is Crystal. She's incredibly nice and beautiful. Then there's my little sister, Kayla. She's in elementary, and the most adorable thing since Pikachu. Then there's my dad, David. Don't really give a shit about him. Let's just say he isn't the most approving person in the world, always trying to force things on me. Not to mention, he hates the fact that I prefer anime girls over real girls.

Despite my distaste for him, my life isn't all too bad, if I do say so myself. My three best friends – Tyler, Adam, and Oliver – are always there to make things interesting. We were part of the anime club at school; I was the president. Together, the four of us never went bored. Every year we went to anime conventions as various characters. There was actually another convention coming up soon, so we were currently trying to get our costumes together. This year, we were going to be Vocaloids and sign up for the talent show at the convention. I was to be Kaito, Tyler was going to be Len, Adam was Gakupo, and Oliver was Kiyoteru – though, we joked that he should just go as Vocaloid Oliver as a joke.

I swam most of the afternoon, going over the song we were going to sing in my head, "Your Highness, My Princess." My solo parts were especially easy to memorize. Just as I got to the chorus for the third time, Kayla ran outside in her bathing suit and jumped in, nearly killing me in the process. Coming up to the surface, I laughed. "Hey there, Vampira! Careful!"

Kayla just laughed that sweet laugh of hers. I loved her more than the world. The both of us looked a hell of a lot like our mom. We were both unreasonably pale despite how often we were outside, jet black hair, and bright brown eyes. And if you're wondering – yes, I do get stopped on the street by random girls wanting to know if I'm a vampire. It gets really annoying really fast.

After two more hours of swimming, Mom brought out lunch and Kayla and I ate it up like we were starved. It was getting late already. I would miss everything if I kept waking up so late. Kayla and I sat beside one another, wrapped in our towels, eating the best sandwiches in the world. Mom sat outside with us, too. But she kept looking at the clock like she was waiting for a demon to bust in at any moment or something.

I tried to ignore it until it was five o'clock and as I was about to get in the water again, she spoke up and suggested I take a shower now. "Aw, c'mon, Mom," I whined. "Can't I swim a little longer?"

She stood and shook her head. "Nu-uh. I want both of you out, okay?"

I tsked my tongue and rolled my eyes. Why this all of the sudden? She normally let me swim as long as I wanted. Still, I wasn't one to disrespect my own mother, so I listened to what she said and went inside. Our home had three bathrooms in two stories. One was connected to my parents' room, one was next to my room upstairs, and one was next to the study downstairs. Mom took Kayla to the one downstairs, so I hopped up the stairs. The water was warm and welcome. I almost wanted to stay in there forever. And when I finally went downstairs, I wished I did stay there.

When I got out of the shower, I dressed in my pajamas again since I didn't plan on going anywhere else. Slipping on the loose indigo T-shirt, I decided that a movie and some popcorn sounded nice. An action movie sounded like the perfect movie, too! I combed out my long-ish black hair and then messed it up just the way I liked it. Just as I was looking through my DVD collection, I heard the doorbell ring.

My mom's hurried footsteps across the tiled kitchen let me know that she got it. But soon after, she called me downstairs. Sighing, I tossed the case on my bed and went downstairs. What I found was my mom standing next to this beautiful girl. She looked to be around my age, most likely older. Her skin was the color of mocha, her eyes like chocolate, and her hair, pulled back in a thick ponytail, was as black as mine was. She wore a long, black coat with red trimmings, tight white jeans, and long black boots. Black gloves stopped at the knuckles of her dainty hands.

Suspicious as to why this cosplayer-esque girl was in my house, I continued down the stairs cautiously. "Who's this, Mom?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Mom was close to tears. She went over to the couch and patted the seat beside her. I watched the new girl as I sat beside my mother. The girl was patient and silent, crossing her arms, watching me right back. "Justin…" my mom started carefully, "this is Ray. She's – an Exorcist."

My eyes widened. "Oh, God, Kayla isn't possessed is she?" I asked, heart already beginning to race.

My mom raised a hand. "No, no, not that kind of Exorcist." She searched around for what to say. "Have you ever seen that anime _D. Gray-man_?" I bit my lip in thought. _D. Gray-man,_ yeah, I'd heard of it before. I would see cosplayers from that show at conventions every year. I never got around to watching it, though. So I reluctantly told my mom what I knew. She swallowed hard. "Well…I've been reading it for some time now."

I stopped to wonder what the hell anime had to do with this girl in our house.

"And I know it sounds…crazy…but, Justin…this girl is an Exorcist just like in that show."

My eyes widened in surprise. She was kidding, right? I had never seen _D. Gray-man_ before, but it was just an anime, for Christ's sake. I smiled skeptically. "Yeah, okay, Mom," I said. "Thanks for trying to mess with me by making my dreams come true, but you chose the wrong anime. I don't even know _D. Gray-man._"

"She isn't kidding." The girl finally spoke up. I turned my attention to her as she crossed from the kitchen to the living room. "If you haven't read _D. Gray-man_ already, then you have a lot of studying to do, kid, because everything about it is true. And you're an Exorcist, too."

I scoffed. "You're crazy, lady," I said coldly. "If this is some TV show, then you can stop now, okay? 'Cause I don't believe you."

With the simple flex of her wrist, a long, thin, pointed sword shot out of her gloves in a green glowing flash. I nearly jumped out of my skin! Was she going to kill me? Ray lifted her arm and showed me the blade. "Does this look like it's a joke?" she asked sharply.

Mom wasn't even fazed. She placed her hand on my shoulder and frowned. "I've known this for a while now, Justin. What she says is true." I slowly looked at her, taking in everything she said. "Those swords I bought you when you were thirteen. The night we bought them, Ray came to me and told me that you were an Exorcist, that those swords were your-your Innocence – your weapon."

I didn't say anything for a long time. After five minutes, I exhaled shakily and leaned on my hand. "So what does this mean then?" I asked, growing irritated.

"It means that you need to come with me," Ray said. "To the Black Order in the United Kingdom."

I stood from the couch. "No," I said sternly. "You're crazy if you think that I'm leaving with you. Mom, are you serious about this?"

"What can I do, Justin?" Mom snapped, starting to cry. "She showed us proof of Innocence. Look at her blades!"

"That just means that she's crazy!" I barked. "Those are switchblades, Mom. Not 'Innocence' or whatever you wanna call it."

"I can show you that these _are_ anti-Akuma weapons, Justin," Ray said calmly.

"Yeah, and how?" I turned to her…just in time to run into her blade.

I stood there in shock. Staring down at the long blade going through my stomach. But…it didn't hurt. It actually didn't feel like anything. Unknowingly trembling, I touched the sword. It was real; I could touch it and everything. But it didn't cut me. Ray pulled it out of me from the side. As it glowed green once more, they disappeared. I touched my stomach, feeling around for a wound, but found none.

"You see?" she said. "My Innocence didn't affect you because you aren't an Akuma; it only affects them."

My mind was going a thousand miles an hour. So many things going through my head, so much to take in. I sank into the couch and tangled my fingers in my hair. "This is unreal," I croaked. "I can't be an-an Exorcist. I can't go to England. What about you, Mom? And Kayla? I can't just leave you two."

Mom pulled me against her in an embrace. "Kayla and I will be fine, sweetheart," she said brokenly. "But the world needs Exorcists like you. You can keep everyone safe from the Akuma on the rise."

"Why haven't I heard of these 'Akuma'?" I asked, shaking my head in disbelief. "If this is all true, then-"

"Akuma haven't made their move yet," explained Ray. "But since we now know that Innocence has been revived since the End of Days War, the Black Order was formed again to stay on their toes. Who knows when they will attack? We need to be ready."

I clutched on to my mother's shirt. "Then you can come get me when that happens, because I don't want to leave my family!"

Just before Mom could say anything, Kayla stepped downstairs. She was staring at the oddly-dressed girl in our living room, holding on to her stuffed duck. "You're leaving us, Justin?" she asked, frowning. It broke my heart to see her so sad. I stood and strode over to her. Lifted her off her feet and held her close.

"No," I said, "Brother's not going anywhere. Maybe one day, but not today."

Ray glared at me. "Think about what you're saying, Justin," she said. "You'd rather wait until the last minute when the Akuma attack you – which they will? What will you do if your sister or mother gets killed in the process? And all because you want to be a child and refuse your destiny as an Exorcist."

"Shut up," I growled.

She smirked. "But you know what I'm saying is true."

I didn't know what to say. The whole house was silent as I tried to take all the information in. What Ray said was true. I started to think of giant kishin-like creatures breaking into our home, killing my family, looking for me.

I swallowed hard and looked to my mom. Gritting my teeth, I cursed and said, "Alright. I'll go with you, Ray."

So now, here I am. On a private plane to England. After a prolonged good-bye, I packed a few things, the swords that ruined my life, and then Ray led me to a limo waiting outside out house. Before I could get in, Mom ran outside with Kayla at her heels. In her hands, she held a small, but thick leather-bound book. She told me it was a journal to remember her by; that I could write all my troubles in it. In a whisper only I could hear, she said that she wanted it back when it was all full, and then she'd send me a new one.

I'll never let this thing go.

The long, black limo was quiet all the way to the airport. I'd only been in a limo once, when I was a little kid and won a trip to an amusement park. Gee, back then I was so excited to get into a random limo taking me away.

There was an old man waiting for us at the airport. He wore a suit, was tall with gray hair, glasses, and tan skin. He introduced himself as Bookman, and sat in the seat behind me. Every time I turned around to check on him, he was still awake, just watching me like a freak.

To break the awkward silence, I just asked him who was driving the plane. To which he answered that it was a "Finder." Whatever that is. I don't really feel like asking questions.

The plane is coming down on an island right now. It's pretty big; don't know how anyone can miss it. It seems like half of the island is cut off by a giant ass forest.

…


	2. Entry 1, Part Two

I'm in my own room now. I can't believe it's three in the morning already. The plane ride just seemed to whizz by. The Black Order is actually a huge cathedral. When the plane landed on an airstrip, Bookman and Ray left me and went inside. At the door of the cathedral, I was met with this pretty blonde woman, with long, curly hair, brown eyes, and glasses. She wore all white and welcomed me with a soft half-smile.

We shook hands and she said in a British accent, "My name is Lisa Turner. I'm chief of this organization. Welcome to the Black Order, Justin."

Leading me inside, she asked if I was hungry. Despite how empty and weak I was feeling, I said it could wait. So, I was given a tour of the Black Order. Lisa said this cathedral had been here for over a century, locked away from the world up until seven years ago when the first Exorcist came along.

"What do you mean by 'locked away'?" I asked her, looking around the fancy building with gray, stone walls and too many hallways.

"I mean that when Hiroshi Ito traveled to this island, there was a barrier around the whole cathedral." My eyes widened with interest. "Of all the people that had visited the landmark, only he was able to break it. And that was because he was an Accommodator. It was Innocence protecting this place, though we don't know how that one fragment remained active while the others deactivated."

I stopped in my tracks and glared at her skeptically. Who was she trying to trick? "Wait a second, seven years ago, I was nine back then, but I'm pretty sure I would remember seeing it on the news," I snapped accusingly. "A phenomenon like that would definitely be all over the media."

"Except it wasn't," she said calmly. "The island went unnoticed for Lord knows how many years. When people finally found it, no one said a thing to outsiders. If tourists asked about the forest, locals would tell them that the island had been scoured before, and there was nothing beyond it."

"And they believed them? But why?" I asked. If I had discovered something like that, I would want to tell the world! "Didn't people at least try to explore?"

Lisa shrugged. "Those who ventured into the forest came back confused. Said that they don't remember a thing of what happened in there."

I squinted at her, feeling suspicious again. "Wait a second, how do you know all this?"

She smiled and said, "My dear boy, I have lived on this island since the day I was born. I know everything about it."

"Oh…" I said, because I didn't have anything to say to that.

It was quiet a few seconds before Lisa began walking again. I caught up to her quickly as she led me to a dormitory. She explained that this is where the Finders' bedrooms are. The next dormitories belonged to the staff, and then a whole other section belonged to Exorcists. Our rooms were bigger and more exquisite. I was listening to her, but a question nagged at the back of my mind until I finally had to ask it.

When she was leading me to the infirmary, I asked, "So, how do you keep out intruders today? Now that there are people living here?" Along our trip, I noticed there were many people living here – many wearing lab coats, or long, tan uniforms, but I hadn't noticed anyone else wearing Ray's black and red uniform.

To my question, Lisa said, "We have cameras watching our surroundings. If we spot anyone coming our way, we send out our guards to take care of them." When my eyes widened, she assured me that they didn't kill anyone.

The British Chief took me around all of the Black Order until my legs hurt. I was shown the infirmary, the lounge, the library, the huge-ass training room, Lisa's office, everything. When we stopped at the also humongous science division, I met Australian Section Leader Riley Taylor. He looked to be in his late twenties, blond hair, blue eyes, really nice guy. As we shook hands, he told me that I could be fitted for a uniform tomorrow afternoon. I didn't object, seeing how utterly exhausted he looked.

Last, but definitely not least, Lisa took me to the cafeteria. It was even bigger than the one at my high school, decorated with odd portraits, lit by chandeliers, and lined with benches. Once the aromas of various types of food filled my nose, my stomach let out a loud, annoying, and painful growl. The sandwiches on the plane definitely weren't enough. Blushing, I held my stomach and smiled sheepishly at Lisa.

She returned a smile sweetly and nudged me forward. "I had some chefs stay awake just for you. Eat," she said. "I'll send a Finder to lead you to your room when you're done."

"Wait, so, we're done for the night?" I asked, looking over my shoulder as she walked away.

"Yep!" she called back. "Sleep in as long as you want and find Riley after breakfast."

I nodded, and then jogged over to the counter. A man was waiting for me there. He was a brunette with dark eyes and light skin. When he spoke, I didn't hear an accent and assumed he must be American like me. He said his name was Johnny and that I could order absolutely anything I wanted. I told him I'd take two double cheeseburgers and French fries.

I didn't have to wait very long before I was presented with a tray of the most delicious-looking food I'd ever seen. And it tasted better, too! I couldn't believe it; better than any restaurant I'd ever been to. However, sitting alone in the quiet cafeteria with nothing but the sound of my chewing and the cooks cleaning up, I was left with a lot of time to think.

I was thousands of miles away from home, away from my mother, my sister, my friends. I even missed my stupid dad. My chewing slowed as I realized that I never even got the chance to say goodbye to him or my friends. My hands began to tremble against my will when I thought of what was going on at home. How would Mom explain this to everyone? The school would get suspicious, the authorities. Unless Mom came up with an elaborate plan to erase me from history, she could get into a lot of trouble.

I couldn't deal with the thought of Mom being taken away to prison. What if the police thought that she had killed me and buried me somewhere? Would she explain to them that she let me go to another country to be a soldier in a war that hadn't even started yet? Yeah, 'cause that would go over real well.

And Tyler, Oliver, and Adam – they're going to be so crushed when they find out I'm never coming back. I'm probably going to die before this stupid war is over.

Before I knew it, tears were streaming down my cheeks. I set down the burger I was working on and buried my face in my hands. I don't cry easily – in fact I hate crying – but the weight on my shoulders was too much to bear. I tried to cry silently, but in the already quiet cafeteria, someone was bound to hear my sobs.

"Excuse me. Why are you crying?"

The small voice startled me. I quickly tried to wipe the tears off my cheeks as I turned and saw a little girl. She had abnormal white hair and eyes like rainclouds. Her skin was pale and flawless. She couldn't be older than ten years old. She wore pink button-up pajamas, and I had to admit she was freaking adorable.

I sniffled and rubbed my eyes. "I'm not crying, kid," I choked out. "I just have something in both my eyes."

She giggled and sat next to me. "You're silly," she said smiling cutely. "You're the new Exorcist, aren't you? I heard that you were coming. What's your name again?"

I swallowed hard and willed myself to stop fucking crying for, like, two seconds. "Justin. Justin Davis. Who are you?"

"I'm Nina Warren," she replied, taking some French fries. "I'm an Exorcist, too."

My eyes widened. "No way," I said. "You're just a kid."

"Hey! I'll be ten next year!" she proclaimed. She kicked her legs as she spoke. "Besides, as a Parasitic Exorcist, I don't really have a choice whether I want to be an Exorcist or not."

"Parasitic Exorcist? What's that?" I asked.

She giggled again. "You have a lot to learn, Justin. You'll find out soon."

Before I could say something, a man came in, wearing a tan uniform. He had a goatee and from what I could see of his face (he was wearing a hood), he looked to be in his thirties. "Nina!" he exclaimed, walking over to us. "What are you doing up? Please, go back to sleep Mistress Exorcist."

"Aw, but I can't sleep!" she objected.

The man shook his head. "Go back to bed, please. I will bring you a glass of warm milk."

Nina groaned and hopped off the bench. See wished me goodnight and then walked off. The man waited until she left until he turned to me and shook my hand. He said his name was Michael, and he was a Finder. When I asked what a Finder was, he said it was hard to explain. Michael said that when I was done eating, he'd take me to my new room.

So, I finished as quickly as possible, and then let him take me to my room. Which is where I am now. I'm all in my pajamas and I am more than ready to sleep. This room is pretty big; it's got a twin-sized bed, a dresser and a closet, a flat-screen TV, and my own bathroom.

It's comfy in this church, but I know I'll never be used to it. How can I like a place that's taken me away from my family? I guess I'll end this entry here, because I really don't have enough energy to write any more.

Good night, Mom. Good night, Kayla. Good night, Oliver and Adam and Tyler, and yes, even you, Dad.

I want to go home.


	3. Entry 2

Dear journal,

Just like Mom wanted, I'm going to be writing as much as I can. Today was a really interesting day and I'm exhausted.

I woke up at noon today, and after pancakes and omelets, I managed to find the way to the Science Section by myself. There, Riley was waiting for me, practically buried in paperwork. But he welcomed me with a smile and took me to a different room to be measured.

"So, mate, what's your Innocence?" he asked as he measured around my arms.

"Ah, my mom got me these two katanas three years ago," I said, frowning a little. "They're both my Innocence."

Riley smiled, impressed, as he knelt down to measure my thighs. "Katanas, huh? Pretty badass if you ask me. Reminds me of another Exorcist from long ago – one of the most remarkable, too."

I blinked in surprise. Another Exorcist had a katana as a weapon? Riley asked me to sit and remove my shoes so he could take those measurements, too. While he did that, I kept the conversation going: "What Exorcist would that be?"

"His name was Yu Kanda," he explained, "a Japanese Second Exorcist. He was among the strongest of the Exorcists, though he wasn't a General." He glanced up for a second and caught my confusion, then laughed. "You'll learn about Yu Kanda, Second Exorcists, and Generals soon. Sorry. I keep forgetting you don't know anything about _D. Gray-man."_

I tilted my head curiously, hoping for an answer. "Why _is_ it called _D. Gray-man?"_ I asked.

To this, Riley laughed again. "The world may never know!"

…So, after I was measured for everything, I thought I'd find another Exorcist to talk to. Maybe make some friends so I'm not bored, see if everyone else hates it here like I do, find a hobby. While I was searching around the Science Section, I came across a room that Lisa didn't mention before. It was a huge room with no door. The only things keeping anyone out were fences with flashing red lights that read DO NOT CROSS.

I narrowed my eyes at the tempting signs. Instead, I stood right behind the signs and just peered inside. Right smack-dab in the middle of the room was this…I don't even know what it is. It was big and shaped like a coffin with three pieces like shards of glass sticking out around the top. It was a purple-ish/pink color, glowing, and looked to be flat as paper. On the shard to the left was a red "-3-". There was a small staircase leading up to it. It was only then that I noticed it was floating above the ground.

There was nothing else in the room besides that thing. It gave me the creeps, to be honest. Why didn't Chief Lisa show me this? Is it supposed to be a secret? If it is, then they didn't hide it well enough. Just as I decided to go to her office and ask her about it, a voice shouted out, "Hey!" and scared the shit out of me.

It was a man wearing an Exorcist uniform. At his side, holding on to his hand was little Nina, who was also wearing an Exorcist uniform. She wasn't kidding when she said she was an Exorcist. Her uniform was black with red trimmings and buttons; it was a long-sleeved dress that went to her knees. She wore white pantyhose and leather combat boots that fit her small feet just right. Also on her hands were white gloves, and two red clips in her hair.

The man beside her was tall with light skin, green eyes, and close-cut brown hair. He had bandages around his neck, wrapping down his chest, which was partially revealed by his black V-neck/tank top. His uniform was a black and red long-coat which you could zip up. It was left open casually and the sleeves were rolled above his elbows. He wore white jeans and the longest black boots I'd only seen in anime a few times: they went all the way up to his thighs! I noticed strapped to his thigh was a holster. Sticking out of it was a handle to some weapon I didn't know if I wanted to know. But the most noticeable things about him were the purple, upside-down triangle on his right cheek and his small, silver hoop earrings.

He had to be in his late teens, early twenties. One hand (clothed in fingerless gloves) held Nina's while the other was in his pocket. "You a new Finder here or somethin'?" he asked, nodding to me. "Sign says not to cross if you were thinkin' about it."

I shook my head rapidly, trying to convince myself I wasn't intimidated by his scowl. "I wasn't thinking about crossing; I'm not stupid. And I'm not a Finder, I'm the new Exorcist."

Nina smiled and looked up at the man. "Nate, this is the boy I was telling you about, remember? This is Justin Davis."

Nate's scowl deepened. "Justin Davis, huh?" he spat. "Well, lemme tell you one thing, Davis." I gulped. He wouldn't hurt a teenager, would he? Especially in front of a little kid? "I've got two rules about new Exorcists. Number one: They better be nice to this little girl here. And number two…They gotta be chill."

I blinked, confused. His scowl quickly upturned to a grin and he burst out laughing. "I'm messin' with ya, kid!" he said. "Name's Nate Harrison, nice to meet ya." Nate let go of Nina's hand to shake mine. I obliged and allowed my heart rate to slow. "Welcome to the Black Order."

I smiled gratefully. "Nice to meet you, too, Nate," I said. Once he let go, I turned to the room. "Why does it say not to go in there? What is that thing?" I asked curiously.

Nate grunted and crossed his arms. "That would be the Ark," he said arrogantly. "It was used as a gateway between places back in the year 1898. Only one Exorcist could control it, and that Exorcist was Allen Walker. When it came into their possession, the Black Order used the Ark to travel across the globe in less than a second." Nate's expression was distant, like he was imagining the whole incredible scenario in a far off land. "When Hiroshi Ito discovered the Order, it was still here. But since Allen Walker is long gone, no one can work it."

By this point, everything was starting to sound like bullshit. Travelling from one side of the globe to the next in less than a second? Outrageous. Still, I was pretty interested. "So, where does it lead, if anywhere?"

Nina answered this question: "It leads to the Asia Branch – the Black Order's station in China. But the place has been long evacuated, and it's much, much vaster than the Order. We have no use for it for now, so we've left it alone." She smiled sheepishly. "They tried to explore it a few years ago, but they didn't get very far."

Nate concluded with, "We've decided to leave it alone until it's needed. When the day comes that the Millennium Earl rises again, our Finders will be sent out across the world to find the other secret Branches."

I huffed, "If they're still there."

I spent the rest of the day with Nate and Nina and got to know them a little more over a snack. Nate is twenty-two years old, born and raised in Cygnet, Canada. He's read _D. Gray-man_ and seen the anime through more than once – all 103 episodes! I had no idea it was that good.

Nate says that when he found out he was an Exorcist two years ago, his life was changed for the better. He didn't know what he wanted for his life; planned on working at a thrifty all his life while daydreaming about being a professional soccer player. His Innocence is an axe that can grow in size.

Taking a bite of his chips, he said, "And while some people compare me to the Bookman-Exorcist Lavi, I prefer to think of myself as Daisya Barry."

I hadn't been to the library yet to check out the manga and books I had to catch up on, but I made a mental note to do that soon, maybe tomorrow.

Nate nudged Nina beside him and grinned. "Now if you want to know the rumor going around the Order," he said, "some of us think that little Nina here is Allen Walker reincarnated."

I had found out the plot of _D. Gray-man, _so I had an idea of who Allen Walker was. They're always mentioning him anyway, so it's hard not to know him. Nina pouted and blushed, glaring at Nate. "Don't listen to them, Justin," she grumbled. "They only say that because I look like him. But there are a lot of differences between us! I don't have a scar on my left eye and my Innocence isn't my arm. So there." She munched her cookie, and then turned away. "Besides, I'd rather be Lenalee."

I couldn't follow with what they were arguing about, but from what I heard about Allen, Nina just might be him reborn. Now that they mentioned her white hair, I thought I'd ask about it. Unfortunately, they both shrugged and shook their heads. She was always like this apparently. When Nina was just four years old, she was found on the Order's doorstep. It was raining and she was crying and scared. She said her mother took her here, but Mrs. Warren was gone without a trace.

Nina says that she was born in Dublin, Ireland, but doesn't have many memories of when she lived with her family. She doesn't even have an Irish accent after spending these years in the Order where most everyone spoke English.

I couldn't help feeling horrible for the poor girl. What kind of bitch would just leave their daughter on the doorstep of the people who were going to drag her into war? Nate says that they don't recruit Exorcists until they're sixteen now, but they didn't have much of a choice with Nina.

As the hours wore on and the more we talked about ourselves and _D. Gray-man_ and this war we've been pulled into, I decided to start my studies. I stood as Nate told me that the manga was in the library – everything _D. Gray-man_ was in a special section that wasn't hard to miss. I thanked him, but before I could hug Nina, she suddenly burst out with, "I never noticed how big your butt was, Justin!"

I winced and automatically blushed. "Gee, thanks, Nina," I said through gritted teeth. "I'm totally not self-conscious about that at all."

This just set her off in a fit of laughter. "But you've got a bubble-butt!" she squealed.

"Alright, Nina," Nate said, "it's not his fault he needs a sign on him that says 'This ass makes wide turns!' "

Nate thought he was so funny, they both exploded with laughter. I mocked them and then strode out. Big butts are a common thing in my family, and I was always self-conscious about it. I don't think Nina will ever let me live it down. Now that I think about it, I didn't see many flaws on the people I've met here. It's like they're anime or something: perfect bodies, white teeth, no blemishes. Especially Ray. Damn, she's perfect.

I hadn't seen her or that old man all day. I wondered where they were. When would my uniform be ready? What would it look like? Most of all, I wondered when the Akuma would attack. They could attack now for all I knew.

Thankfully that didn't happen. I made it to the brightly lit library in one piece. And wouldn't you know it, Ray was there, too. She sat at one of the long tables, writing something on paper. Some other pieces of paper were scattered around the desk. Instinctively, I reached into my pocket for my phone to text Tyler, telling him I was about to make my move, but then I remembered that I had to leave my cellphone at home.

The Black Order didn't allow cellphones. It was a strict rule that we couldn't keep in touch with anyone outside the Order. Something about if our families found out that we had died, we might be could be turned into Akuma. I didn't understand it, but I when I finally read _D. Gray-man_ I would_._

But before that, I wanted to get to know Ray a little more. After messing with my hair a bit, I confidently walked up to her and leaned against the table. "Hey there, Ray," I said smoothly. "Haven't seen you since the plane ride. Where've you been?"

Her brown eyes never left her work. "Here. Working," she said.

I tried looking at her papers, but she quickly covered them. "What're you writing?" I asked when suddenly I caught a glimpse of a picture. It was me! "Let me see that," I demanded, snatching it away from her.

"Hey! Give that back!" she exclaimed, reaching for it.

"No," I said sharply. "What are you doing with a picture of me from my yearbook?"

Ray stood and strode after me as I backed away with the picture in my hand. "It's part of your file that I have to write. Now give it to me." I stopped evading her and she snatched it back from me. "Idiot…" she growled, going back to her desk.

I followed her, though. "What do you mean by file? Why are you doing that?"

Ray groaned and continued writing. "I'm a Bookman's apprentice. And as a Bookman, it's my responsibility to fill out your personal file for history. Speaking of files" – she searched around the papers, found one, and handed it to me – "Lisa wants you to fill this one out on your own. This one is for the Black Order."

My eyes scanned the paper that looked like a job application. She handed me a lead pencil and told me to "get to it."

_D. Gray-man_ would apparently have to wait. I took a seat beside her and began filling out the form.

_**Name:**__ Justin Aubrey Davis. _I scowled at my embarrassingly girly middle name.

_**Age:**__ 16_

_**Birthday:**__ June 20__th_

_**Hair color: **__Black/brown_

Yep, that was boring. I stopped and sighed deeply. "So, what's a Bookman anyway?" I asked Ray, leaning on my hand.

Her eyes flickered up a moment. She hesitated before answering. "We record important events of history," she said, "blend in with crowds with different aliases and different identities every time we change our alliances. Our clan has been interested in the Black Order for centuries. Now that it has been revived again, this could be the most important thing in history."

I furrowed my brow in interest. I had never heard of Bookmen before, but I guess that's the whole point. Damn. My best friends could be Bookmen and I might not have known.

"We are unbiased," she went on, "and have no need for emotional attachment. The one time one of our clan has ever been an Exorcist, he betrayed himself and became friends with the Exorcists around him." Ray looked up and gave me a mean glare. "Don't think I'll make the same mistake he did. You're all just ink on paper to me."

I was startled at how much I had already learned about her. How could anyone live others and not get attached? I frowned. Something inside told me not to believe her. She would change, eventually. Girls are always so emotional.

I secretly vowed to change her and make her mine one day. _Challenge accepted, Tsundere,_ I thought, trying not to smirk. So, now that she was quiet, I filled out the rest of the lengthy form in peace. When I was done, she told me to give it to Chief Lisa. My eyes flickered from Ray to the shelf where I saw obvious manga standing side-by-side. Then I looked to the window and saw it was already sunset.

With a sigh, I had to agree, and then left the library to Chief Lisa's office. On the way there, I passed by many Finders and scientists, all who smiled at me as I passed by. There weren't as many people here as there were rooms, but that was understandable.

Before entering her office, I knocked. Chief Lisa allowed me in. Inside, I saw that she was on a laptop, typing away. Her office was large, neat, and smelled like candles. The walls were lined with books; the blue-tiled floor was spotless. On her desk were a few pictures facing toward her, a name plate, and an hourglass with nothing inside. Before the desk were a loveseat and two comfy-looking chairs on either side of it. Behind her was a tall, open window with black curtains. I could see the sun setting over the trees, under the ocean.

When she noticed me coming towards her, she looked up from her laptop and adjusted her glasses. "Welcome, Justin," she said. "What can I do for you?"

I couldn't help but return her smile. Handing the stapled papers to her, I said, "Ray had me fill these out."

"Ah, right, thank you." She took them gently and read over them carefully. "You have very nice penmanship, Justin." I thanked her and looked around the office, thinking about how nice it'd be to sleep here. She told me to feel free to examine anything I wanted. I gladly went over to a wall and read some titles of the books. They were all about history and the world, all in alphabetical order. Lisa read the rest of the file and then pulled out a drawer from her desk and carefully put the papers in a yellow folder. Then, she went back to her work on the laptop.

Curious, I went over to her side, but not close enough to look at the screen. "What'cha doin'?" I asked, bored.

"I'm reading over and making changes to April's chapter," she said.

"Huh?" I squinted and tilted my head in confusion. "Are you the author of _D. Gray-man?"_ I asked.

Lisa blinked and then laughed a bit. "Oh, no, no, I just rewrite what happens in the manga into words," she explained. "The author and illustrator is Katsura Hoshino."

I frowned. "So, where is she?" I asked.

Lisa's eyes shifted to a picture on her desk. I picked it up to examine it as she spoke. In the picture were two women – one was obviously Lisa when she was younger and the other woman was Japanese. She was just as pretty as Lisa, but with short black hair and dark eyes. They were hugging each other, one arm wrapped around each other's' shoulders, smiling broadly.

"Katsura Hoshino was my best friend," Lisa said nostalgically. "I met her when I travelled to Japan as a child. It was together that we met the Exorcist Hiroshi. The three of us travelled back here as adults, when Hiroshi found Innocence. We found the Black Order and rebuilt it to what it is now."

She paused, and I knew something bad was coming. There was a reason Katsura isn't here today.

"Katsura was the first of us to find the Bookman documents of the history of the Holy War hidden away here at the Order," Lisa went on. "She never was as excited as Hiroshi and I were to stay here at the Order."

My eyes widened when I realized what was coming next. "She took the documents for herself and went back to Japan, didn't she."

Chief Lisa closed her eyes angrily. "Katsura Hoshino is a traitor in the eyes of the Order. Those Bookman records were the last truth of the Black Order. I'm sure she doesn't mean to do any harm, but I don't think she knows what she's gotten into. She's revealed the most well-kept secret of the world as a fictitious Japanese comic book to the whole world. They're all we're going by."

"Wait a second," I said, appalled at this new information, "if you know that it's Katsura who has the records, why don't we just go to Japan and bring her back?"

Lisa shook her head. "It's not that simple, Justin," she said. "For one thing, she's moved from the Shigura Prefecture to Tokyo, but no one knows where she lives. Even if we were to find her – which we will one day – there's no telling what she could do to the records before we get to her. Hell, we don't even know if she's gotten rid of them already and is going on by memory." Lisa sighed. "Point is, she's not easy to find, and we can't apprehend her in a rush."

I looked away. Welp, there goes that brilliant plan. She had a point, and I guess I wasn't really one to say otherwise. After a few moments of silence, she went back to reading over the chapter again. I set the picture of Lisa and Katsura back on the desk and looked at the other pictures. Another was a photo of Lisa, Katsura, and – I assumed the man in the picture was Hiroshi. They were standing together in front of a beautiful palace that had to be in Japan. A smaller frame contained a picture of an adorable baby.

Its dark hair and light skin reminded me of Kayla, which made my heart hurt.

"Who's this?" I asked, swallowing hard.

Lisa looked up briefly, and then went back to her laptop. "That was my daughter, Sakura," she said sullenly. "She's gone now."

My eyes widened and I thought I would drop the picture. I would have never guessed that Lisa had lost her child. But I didn't want to press in case it brought up any horrible memories, so I set it down and cleared my throat.

I was just about to ask what the hourglass was when Riley came in. "Chief," he said, "dinner's ready."

Lisa smiled gratefully and stood from her seat. "Excellent," she said. "Come, Justin, have dinner with us." She wrapped her arm around my shoulder and led me out of the office with Riley at our heels. It was like she completely forgot the dark conversations we just had.

Inside the cafeteria, everyone was already eating. There were more Finders and scientists than I thought. At a certain table, all the Exorcists sat together. Tonight, we had breakfast for dinner, and damn was it a grand buffet. I sat beside Nina, across from Nate. Next to Nina sat Ray, and then, secluded from us, was another Exorcist. He was a tall Asian dude with hair and skin just like mine. He ate in silence while everyone else chatted merrily. Even Ray acted like a whole new person.

I kept my eye on him as I served myself a plate of pancakes, bacon, and everything else. Bookman sat beside Nate and gave me a small smile and nod. Lisa sat beside me and spoke with Riley. The food was still the best, and I had my share of seconds. Still, no matter how much I ate, I don't know anyone who can eat as much as Nina. As she packed on more food on her plate, I asked her how much she's eaten already. She said this was her eleventh plate.

My jaw dropped and I stared incredulously. Nate, Ray, Bookman, Lisa, and Riley all laughed at me. Apparently this is normal for them!

Just then, Lisa stood and tapped her glass. "Attention, everyone," she announced. The room went quiet and everyone gave their attention to her. Though the Exorcist dude didn't look at her, he stopped eating at least. "I would just like to welcome our newest member, Justin Davis." She placed her hand on my shoulder and smiled broadly. "He's traveled here from Florida, North America, and has sacrificed much for our cause. We're all very happy to have another Exorcist here with us." Then she raised her glass of orange juice above her head in cheers. "Here's to Justin!"

Everyone raised their glasses and repeated her last words, then drank and clapped. Nina hugged me tightly and I started blushing, especially when I saw that even Ray was clapping. She certainly is a strange girl. I have much to learn about her, it seems.

I haven't found out that Exorcist's name, but I plan to. For now, my belly is full and I'm actually pretty content. Tomorrow for sure I'll start reading _D. Gray-man._

Good night, Kayla. Words can't describe how much I wish you were here right now.


	4. Entry 3

Dear journal,

I woke up this morning to Nina jumping on my bed. It was nine o'clock. "Justin, Justin!" she squealed. "Here, here, look what I got for you! Your uniform is ready!" I blinked hard and sat up, wiping my eyes.

"Huh?" I murmured. "Can't it wait, Nina? I'm still real tired."

But the girl continued to jump on my bed. "Uh-uh! Come oooon, Riley wants to see how it fits. Besides, it's late. I want you to have breakfast with me and Nate."

Groaning, I knew it was pointless to argue with a nine-year-old. She'd win for sure. So, I ran my fingers through my dirty hair and asked if I could at least take a shower first. She agreed and sat on the edge of my bed patiently. Inside the bathroom, shampoo, soap, and the essentials were waiting for me, so I could hop right in.

When I walked out in nothing but a towel, Nina was still on my bed, kicking her feet as she watched cartoons on my TV. I awkwardly had to ask her to get out while I got dried and dressed. She said okay, but she'd be waiting outside my door. I noticed that folded clothes waited for me on my dresser.

After drying while listening to music on the right channel, I carefully unfolded the clothes. First on were the black dress pants and sleeveless turtleneck. They were both form-fitting, but fit comfortably. A pair of long, fingerless gloves was next. They went up to my elbows, stopped at my knuckles. Made me feel like a badass, too! The boots I was assigned were badass, too. They were black, steel-toed boots that went up to my knees.

And last but not least was my coat: the _official_ mark of an Exorcist. It was long, black with red trimmings, went to my ankles. After fitting the belt and fixing the pouch that went around my waist and hung behind me, I looked in the mirror. It almost looked like a dress, though the front below the belt opened for leg room.

I buttoned up the coat and clicked three gold chains to my right shoulder with a small black hook. The chains came from a button on my left breast. It was red with an E on it. Near the button was a patch sewn into the coat. The design was just like it was on Nina's and Ray's and Nate's: An intricate silver cross with odd markings. It symbolized that you were an Exorcist of the Black Order. Below the patch was a pocket that you could put small items in, but I was more interested in the patch.

It was official. I was a true Exorcist of the Black Order now. If I thought there was no going back before, there definitely isn't now. I touched the badge, frowning. I don't want this, I never have wanted this. I wish I would have tried to find a way to run away by now.

A series of unending knocks interrupted my sad train of thought. It was Nina. She was calling me out because she knew I had to be done already. Forcing myself to smile, I turned off the TV, brushed my hair once more, and hurried out of the room to meet her.

To my surprise, waiting for me outside my room was Nina, Riley, Nate, _and_ Chief Lisa. When we came face-to-face, all of them were very pleased.

"_Now_ I can officially call you an Exorcist," Nate said, grinning. "Welcome to the team, buddy."

Nina's eyes sparkled as she glomped me. "Oh, Justin!" she squealed. "You look amazing! Look at you! You're one of us now! For real!" I had to smile at how undeniably adorable she is.

Riley smirked at his success. "How do you like it?" he asked.

I looked at my gloved hands, blushing from all the praise. "I…freakin' love it. I feel awesome," I answered honestly.

"You know," Lisa said, crossing her arms with a soft smile, "if Yu Kanda had cut his hair and bangs, you two might be twins." She turned to Riley. "Did you do that on purpose, Section Leader Riley? You gave Justin a uniform identical to Kanda's."

Riley's smile weakened. "Uh, yeah, sorry, Chief," he said sheepishly. "I know all our Exorcists need original uniforms, but…Look at him! You said it yourself; he looks so much like Kanda, aside from the eyes–"

"And butt," Nate coughed.

"–It was a temptation too hard to resist." Riley looked defeated. "They even have the same weapon."

I didn't understand why Lisa looked so upset. "Justin's katanas and Kanda's Mugen are nothing alike," she said sharply.

Before the conversation could go on, Nina ran into my room. She came back a few moments later with my swords. I chuckled seeing how she couldn't even lift them off the ground. Kneeling, I gently took the swords and thanked her.

"Here, let me help you get those onto your uniform," Riley offered. I stood and he showed me how to attach my weapons to each of my hips. It was amazing to feel how weightless they were on my waist. They held firm on their holds, too, so the sheaths wouldn't bounce around and hit me whenever I ran.

"Wait a sec," Nate said, "do you even know how to wield a sword?"

I stopped dead in my tracks. In all this confusion and rush these last few days, I completely forgot the fact that I had no idea how to swordfight. The katanas were originally just for show on my dresser. I kept telling myself to try them out, but Mom didn't trust me not to break anything, so I kept them sheathed.

If this were anime, I swear I'd have dreadlines right then. I scratched the back of my head and kicked at the tiles. "Well, I, uh, you know, um…" I stuttered.

Nate facepalmed and Lisa laughed. "Don't worry about it, Justin," she said, touching my shoulder, "we'll get on that right away. I'll have Ray teach you about swordplay. Is that okay?"

_Hell yes it's okay!_ "Yeah, it's fine," I said coolly.

Riley said that he was glad I liked the uniform and then went off to continue working. Lisa told me that I was free to do whatever I wanted, but she recommended that I start training with Ray today and tell her it was Chief's orders. After my approval, she saluted me and then went back to her office. Once Lisa was gone, Nina grabbed my hand and bounced about, leading me to the cafeteria.

So, Nate, Nina, and I ate breakfast together in peace. Nina informed me that now that I have my uniform, it's okay to go to town. That took me by surprise; I didn't know we were allowed out of the Order. Needless to say, I was excited when my comrades offered me the chance to get out of here and check out the island. They said we'd need to have the approval of Chief Lisa, but that would be easy. We're going to head out tomorrow. Today, they wanted me to start training with Ray and start reading _D. Gray-man._

Now that I was aware we could leave the Order, I asked them, "What else haven't you told me?!" I was only joking, but I guess there _were_ things I didn't know. Lisa never showed me what was behind the cathedral, nor did she tell me there was an elevator to lower floors.

Behind the church was a large field that had few trees. It didn't lead anywhere special, though; just a place to feel the breeze, look at the ocean. It sounds nice. I'll definitely go there if I want to get away. Nate says he's been thinking about making Nina a tree house in one of the trees back there, just so she has a place to play that's in the fresh outdoors. It's sweet to me what good friends they are. She must think of him as an older brother, or even a father.

Regarding Lisa not telling me about the elevator, Nate said it was understandable. The elevator isn't far from the infirmary. He was surprised I missed it. It leads down to the depths of the cathedral where we keep our aerial means of transportation. The airplane I came here on is down there and rumor is that they're working on jets down there. The obvious answer as to why was since we don't have the ability to control the Ark, we're going to have to have a way to get around the world fast. They say the jets are supposed to be faster than normal jets, but it's not official yet.

So, why is it understandable that Lisa didn't tell me? Well, I asked him, and he said that Innocence has been gradually activating over the process of five years. After five years of Exorcists not using that elevator, you almost forget it's not there.

After breakfast, I said goodbye to Nate and Nina to go to the library. Just as I thought, Ray was there, but this time, so was Bookman. Bookman greeted me formally and Ray asked what I was up to casually. It's like she doesn't remember telling me that I'm just "ink on paper." But, hey, if she doesn't remember, I can live with that. Personally, I'd like to forget it, too.

"Nothing much. I'm finally going to start reading _D. Gray-man,"_ I said, heading over to a bookshelf.

"That's wonderful!" Bookman said. "You know you have a choice: You can read the manga, watch the anime, or read the books that Lisa has put together based on the manga and anime."

I shivered at reading a book. Books weren't really my thing. Manga were much better. "Well, what do you recommend, sir?" I asked, studying the whole section. There were currently twenty-three manga volumes, eight DVD volumes, and twenty-three huge book volumes as well. Bookman said there were even more books and manga to come. "Uhh, actually, should I start the manga or the anime first?"

Bookman chuckled. "The manga is definitely is longer and more informative, but the anime does have some more information on certain things, while the books are more descriptive," Bookman mulled aloud. "I would start with the manga, Master Justin. Start the anime after chapter 158 of volume 16, but even then, continue reading the manga."

I gave him a blank stare. Ray wasn't kidding when she said that Bookmen remember everything. But, I listened to what he said, though I won't remember for long what chapter I'm supposed to start the anime on. Ray allowed me to sit beside her while she read a book on folklore, about a succubus, whatever that is.

_D. Gray-man_ started out pretty interesting. I liked the way they introduced the main character. I got through three volumes this afternoon. It's going to be easy getting through this one. Allen is cool, Kanda is badass, Lenalee is hot. When Kanda was introduced, I stared at him a long time. At first, I thought he was a flat-chested chick, but then I realized this is the guy people have been telling me about. The next volume is sure to have excitement waiting for me since they met the Noah Road Kamelot, but I'll save that for tomorrow.

Once I was done with the third volume, I told Ray about Lisa's request for her to train me.

"Sorry," she said, "but you'll have to find someone else to help you. I'm a little busy with my studies."

I grinned, knowing I'd win this. "No can-do, Ray-Ray, they're Chief's orders." I paused. "Chief's…_Black_ Order…s."

I burst out laughing at the joke and Bookman cracked a smile, but Ray just stared at me. Pfft. She knew that was funny.

The two of us got up and headed out to the training area. I hadn't been inside there, only seen it from the doorway. This secluded area of the church is huge; this place could be a gym and then some. There were treadmills and weights and contraptions that I have no idea what they're called. Even with all this equipment, it was really spacious: Lots of room to spar if you wanted to. Which is exactly what our aloof, no-name Exorcist was doing at the moment.

He was shirtless and blindfolded, wielding a long, wooden staff. He was breaking a sweat as various wooden "monsters" popped up out of nowhere. I was surprised to see how well he was doing with hitting them even before they even came all the way out of the ground. Must have been testing out his hearing and strength.

"There, see?" Ray said, putting her hands on her hips. "Lisa could have always had Kyo teach you."

"No, Lisa couldn't," the Exorcist I now know as Kyo called out. He stomped once on the ground and the monsters disappeared into the ground. After pulling off the blindfold, he shook out his Rin Okumura-esque hair and wiped the sweat off his brow. It was only then that I noticed his sharp eyes were an odd purple-ish shade. There was something familiar about him, but I couldn't put my finger on it.

He didn't wear his coat, but under his uniform was like mine. Same black, sleeveless turtleneck, long fingerless gloves, dress pants, and long boots. As he made his way over to a bench where his coat was folded, and then slipped it on. It went to his ankles, was left open, and had short sleeves.

"You should know by now, Bookman," he said as he picked up a crossbow, "I don't work with others."

Ray smirked though she was defeated and crossed her arms. "Couldn't hurt to try," she said. She walked forward as she unbuttoned her coat. "Come on, Justin, let's get started."

I nodded and followed after Ray, unbuttoning my coat as well. Obviously things were going to get sweaty in here. As I passed by Kyo, he gave me a vicious glare and a quick once-over. The look was almost like a warning of some sort. What the hell did _I_ do? He adjusted the crossbow across his chest and strode out.

Once he was gone, I folded my coat beside Ray's. "What's with him?" I asked. "Does he think he's Kanda?"

"Everyone does," Ray said seriously, even know I was kidding. She went over to a pot with staffs and picked out the right ones for us. "His full name is Kyo Lee. As in-"

"Lee as in Lenalee Lee?!" I exploded.

"That's exactly right. Kyo is a great grandson of Lenalee Lee – how many greats there are, no one is sure," she explained.

"Well, who did Lenalee sleep with?" I asked, mind utterly blown. "Was it Allen? Or Kanda, maybe?"

"That's the problem," Ray said, turning to face me. She tossed me a stick and I barely caught it. "We have no idea. We've tried checking online, but it's like Kyo has never existed. He was abandoned by his parents when he was very young, back when he never bothered to ask Mommy and Daddy's names."

"So how do you know he's really related Lenalee?" I asked, squinting.

"When his parents left him, they left him with a button from Lenalee Lee's coat. It was an old and rusting red button with Lenalee's name engraved in it, just like we have."

As she spoke, I went over and checked each of my buttons for my name, and sure enough the third button on my coat said JUSTIN DAVIS.

"They told him it belonged to 'grandma' and for him to keep it forever."

When she paused, I stopped to take it all in. He has every reason to be pissed off at the world. I wonder if his parents knew he was going to be an Exorcist one day. Still, that's no reason to abandon him out of the blue. I furrowed my brow. "Do you…think his parents are dead?" I asked quietly.

"If you want my opinion, yes," she said. "But Kyo still believes they're out there." The Exorcist girl ran her fingers through her thick black hair and tapped the staff on the floor. "Come on; no more talking about people behind their backs. Let's get started with your training."

I smirked, liking the sound of "training." "Sure! I totally got this!" I twirled the shaft in my hand to look awesome, but ended up whacking myself on the head with it and dropping it.

Ray rolled her eyes and shook her head, allowed me to pick up my staff once more, and then we began training.

…Ray and I trained for hours. I felt ashamed that a girl was kicking my ass. But, I had fun, honestly. And I like training with her. Especially when she grabs my hands to adjust my placement. I don't know how obvious I'm making it that I'm into her, but if she pays as much attention to detail as I think she does, she'll figure it out in no time.

I know it sounds dumb; she totally hates me. But she's the first girl that isn't anime that I think is gorgeous. She might as well be an anime girl, though, with her looks. It definitely isn't love at first sight, but I think if I give it time, she'll come around. All the ladies do.

Haha. I sound like a love-struck teenage girl! Hope you won't laugh at me when you read this, Mom.

We're going to train together again tomorrow at the same time. I think I'll get some exercising done beforehand though. I'll try not to forget.

Good night, Mom. Good night, Kayla.

Good night, Ray.


	5. Entry 4, Part One

Dear journal,

I had a nightmare last night, so I woke up early this morning. The dream started out with Ray and me stabbing each other with our staffs, but it didn't hurt. We were smiling and laughing. Next thing I know, I'm home again, but the sky is black and everything is dark. I kept having to stop Kayla from jumping in the pool because I know she'll drown. The water is black and mucky. I don't know why she wants to swim so badly. I see Kyo in the water and he's drowning, but no one – not even me – pays any attention to him. Suddenly someone's behind me and he's holding the second volume of _D. Gray-man._ And he's dressed like the Millennium Earl. I can't remember who it was, but I know it was a friend. He whacks me once with the book and I fall into the pool.

I don't know what happens after that because just as I hit the water, I wake up. I was breathless and shaky. I couldn't sleep after that, so I took a shower instead. It's hard to imagine Kayla, my little sister, whom I love more than the world, drowning, and I can't do anything about it. I'm not one to overanalyze things, but I can't help but wonder what the dream meant. Maybe I have too much on my mind. Although I'm starting to like the Order because of all the awesome people I'm meeting, I don't know if I'm really getting used to it.

Sometimes when I'm spacing out, I forget I'm not at home anymore. Things are different. I'm thousands of miles away from my family. I'll never see you all again unless we happen to meet by chance. I know I have to be strong, but it hurts so much. I never knew – what I had until it was all gone.


	6. Entry 4, Part Two

Dear journal,

After breakfast, I met up with Nate and Nina. Nina had just taken a shower herself, and they were both ready to go. First, we stopped by Lisa's office to ask her if we could go to town. On the way there, Nina thought it'd intrigue me to know that before the "Exorcists of Old" had moved to this cathedral, they lived in a castle, which I'd noticed in the manga. Instead of showers, they had two bathhouses: one for males and one for females, like in Japan. Once we were at Lisa's office, Nate asked if we could leave. She told us it was fine as long as we follow the rules and be safe.

On the way to the front door, I asked what the rules were. They answered:

No talking to civilians personally.

If someone asks about the Order, escort them ourselves.

No causing trouble or destruction unless unavoidable.

Do not kill anyone unless they are Akuma.

Do not help anyone unless there is an Akuma attack.

And absolutely no contacting friends and/or family members.

Seems like Lisa really wanted the Black Order to stay in the shadows and its Exorcists on lock-down. Nate was upset about being reminded about these rules, though. "It's stupid," he growled as we neared the front door. "We shouldn't be able to just bring _anyone_ to the Order: Anyone could be a Noah and we wouldn't know it!"

Nina frowned and nodded. "That's true, but there are only 14 Noah in a world of billions. We can't distrust everybody or else we would have no supporters or staff," she tried reasoning.

Nate glared at the floor. "But we _aren't_ supposed to trust anyone, right?" he said lowly. "That's what Lavi said. It's dangerous to, in this world of Akuma. Anyone of us can be turned into an Akuma and there's nothing we can do about it."

Apparently I hadn't gotten to the part in _D. Gray-man_ about Noah, because I was completely lost in this argument. Again. But they spoke like I wasn't there, so I didn't bother interrupting. I'll find out soon.

The grand double doors were surprisingly easy to open. (I thought we'd have to apply more pressure.) And for the first time in days, I actually went outside. The sun was bright this summer's day, no wind to cool us down, no cloud to shade us. It was a big difference from the constantly-air-conditioned Black Order. The upside, my coat never made me hot. Though it was black, the inside stayed cool.

Nina closed her eyes against the sun's bright rays. I guess we all felt like vampires. Nate chortled, blocking his eyes. "You of all people could use the sun," he said to me. I laughed.

Once Nina's eyes were adjusted to the brightness, she smiled and looked up to the blue sky. "Point is," she said, obviously still stuck on their conversation, "the Akuma haven't appeared in over a hundred years. Who knows when they'll actually rise again? I think Chief Lisa wants us to be at ease as much as we can until then."

Nate and I shared a glance and smiled at one another. Nina seemed to be the embodiment of innocence, (no pun intended). And you know what? We needed her optimism. I think without her, we would be a sad bunch.

We closed the doors behind us and heard someone lock it. The loud click startled me, but Nate assured me that we could get back in with their numbers. My heart started pounding. I didn't have a number. Nate laughed and said that he would explain to the gatekeeper and have Lisa get me one. The numbers we were given were chosen at random and given to each Exorcist secretly. They were to memorize it and not tell a soul. It was a way to tell if someone was an imposter or not because apparently in the End of Days (as they call it), it happened before.

Outside was the same as I left it: a clearing around the Order, an airstrip for the planes, ocean to my left and right, and a narrow cement bridge leading to a vast forest ahead. We proceeded down the stairs of the church and headed toward the bridge.

"Hope you like walking, Justin, 'cause this'll take a while," Nate said, folding his hands behind his head. "And you'll need to memorize how to get in and out of the forest."

I nodded in understanding and followed behind him closely. Nina asked for my hand, and though something asked me if she was too old to ask for someone's hand, I didn't deny her. We crossed the bridge and just then something struck me. The airplane! It was gone!

"Hey, wait a second, Nate, that airplane I came here in. What happened to it?" I asked, searching around.

"Isn't it obvious?" he asked, irking me a little with his attitude. "We told you about the basement. This airstrip opens up and the planes are gently glided there."

I frowned. All this technology. Damn. How the hell do they pay for all this shit? The electricity, the cable? I didn't feel like asking too questions today, though. Today was a day for relaxing until training with Ray.

Going through the forest took longer than I thought. There were many unexpected twists and turns we had to go through. After twenty minutes in the eerie woods, I asked Nate how long we had to go. Nina told me that it normally takes at least half an hour or so to get out of here, depending on how fast you walk and if you know exactly where to go.

I always wanted to be in a forest, just for the thrill of not knowing what was in there. Everyone knows that forests are awesome. It was really pretty, and aside from our voices, the only other sound was the ocean and the birds. Nate says there are no wolves in this forest, but that'd be sweet. The trees were positioned enough apart that we could see the sky through the leaves, and Nina wouldn't stop staring at the sky. She'd get a crook in her neck if this went on longer!

"Hey, Nina, you remember how the poem goes?" Nate asked her. "Tell Justin."

She didn't even hesitate: " 'What was reflected before my eyes was a vast blue sky/ A vibrant blue, stretching endlessly. / And though I've never seen it before, I remember it/ A sky so beautiful, it almost hurts. / I've known of it all along.' "

I blinked and then slowly smiled. "Wow, Nina," I said, "that was really beautiful."

She smiled proudly. "Thank you, but I didn't come up with it. Kanda did."

"Really?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "I didn't know that jerk wrote poetry."

Nate chuckled. "He doesn't, really, but he said that when he was a kid. You'll see it in volume 20."

Soon, the forest's exit was in sight and a path began forming. We raced to it and came out on the other side like we had just run through the Wardrobe. On this side of the forest was a hustling and bustling with people and cars and businesses. Few people noticed us, but those that did smiled politely.

"Wow!" I exclaimed. I don't know why, but I expected the town to be more rural or more nineteenth-century. "Is there a mall here?"

"No, but there are individual stores and places that we can check out if you want," Nate said. So my two new friends led me around the town like I was a tourist. It was just like home except the different buildings, structures, and arrangement. But there were still schools, fast food places, restaurants, small shops, a movie theater, a library, city hall, churches, gas stations, parks, a hospital, etc., etc.. The only thing missing were the weird stares you got when you walk around in cosplay.

Nate said that there's even a skate park secluded behind a church just a few miles from central, and on the east side of the island, it was all farmlands. When we passed by the movie theater that played seven movies at once, I noticed one that was playing that I desperately wanted to see back home. Another showing was coming up soon, so Nate actually bought tickets! Well, he didn't pay for it. Those of the Black Order got everything free in this town.

He apologized to me, though. He would have bought tickets for the seven o'clock showing, but Lisa wouldn't let us out more than once a day.

Thankfully, no one stopped us to ask questions, and there weren't any Akuma attacks, so we had the whole day to relax. While we waited for the noon showing, we took Nina to the park. We played hide-and-seek and tag and swung on the swings and had so much fun killing time, but the more I played with Nina, the sicker I got. Not because I dislike her or anything – God, no, I love this little kid. It's just…

The more I look at her, the more I see Kayla in her. And it hurts so much. She looks and acts so much like Kayla, it makes me want to cry. At one point, I got off the swing and caught her as she jumped to me, and I didn't let her go. I closed my eyes as I fell hard on my butt, and for a moment, I was holding Kayla again. Nina can never replace my sister, but she'll have to be a substitute for now.

When she pulled away, she frowned. "Justin, are you okay? Why do you look like you're going to cry? Did I hurt you?" she asked worriedly.

I shook my head and blinked hard, rubbing my eyes, as Nate jogged over to us. "Did you hurt yourself, Justin? You okay?"

I helped Nina stand and dust off the woodchips from her stockings and shook my head again. "I'm fine, dude, really. I gotta go to the bathroom real quick." I quickly strode to the bathrooms, dusting off my butt on the way.

Behind me, I heard Nate tsk and say something about, "You sure he's not Krory?"

Whoever the hell Krory is.

…So, the movie was awesome and it really got my mind off of Kayla. Nate and Nina didn't mention why I was crying and for that, I was glad. The movie made us all laugh so hard we almost wet ourselves. We walked out quoting almost every line. Nate suggested that we go to the grocery store bakery and get a small cake to share. Nina jumped at the offer.

We got a small chocolate cake with a pink flower on it and split it in three, Nina getting the biggest piece. While Nina stuffed her face, Nate asked what time I had to be back at the Order to train with Ray. I told him at 4, which meant we had another hour to waste. But, after we finished the cake, we decided to start heading back for my sake. I was a little sad to leave the normality of the city, but Nate promised that we can come back another time.

On the way to the forest, we came to a stop by a choked out, "Hey!"

When we turned, there was a group of teenage girls, all shying away from our looks. They all argued quietly amongst themselves until one of them shoved the prettiest one forward. She was a blonde with blue eyes and nice body. It was almost cute how red she got.

"Um…" She lost her voice for a moment. "So, me and my friends saw you guys in the theater and, ah, noticed you guys are…like, Exorcists."

My gut dropped, wondering if they really were going to ask to join the Black Order. Instead, the girl went on to hold out a slip of paper to Nate. "And Kassie thinks you're really hot," she said rapidly, "so we want you to come to our soccer game this Friday, please." I almost wanted to laugh when she bowed. Damn, this girl was really nervous.

Nate stared at the note a moment. I gave him a questioning look and raised my eyebrows.

When he didn't say anything for half a minute, the girl started panicking. "I mean, you don't have to come or anything" – I almost couldn't understand her British accent – "because I know you're all really busy, but it would mean a lot to us, and-and-and-"

Finally, Nate chortled. "Hey, calm down, okay?" he said gently. Since when was his voice so smooth?! "I'll see what I can do, okay? I'll try to sneak out passed my boss."

The whole group of girls gasped and tried to contain their squeals. "Really?" the blonde squeaked. "You mean it?"

"Sure," Nate said ponderingly. "But you know that Exorcists aren't supposed to mingle, right? We might have to stick to the sides or something. I could get in serious trouble for even talking to you." His tone started to darken towards the end of his sentence and the girl backed away to her friends.

"Oh. Oh! Right. I'm so, so sorry," she babbled. "Please don't tell on him, guys." Her eyes flickered to me and Nina. "Um…Thankyousomuch!" She waved to Nina – "Goodbye, sweetie!" – and then looked to me – "You can come, too, if-if you'd like." Then she swallowed hard and hurried off with her friends.

Nate started walking again, so Nina and I went to catch up with him.

"Wait!" the blonde called again. "What's your name?"

"It's Nate!" he called back without looking.

Once the girls thought we were far enough, you could hear them giggling and screaming and squealing. Psh. Since when was Nate such a ladies' man?

"Nate, are you really going to go to that soccer game?" Nina asked, grabbing his offered hand.

The Canadian Exorcist shrugged. "I dunno," he said, "maybe. Maybe if you guys don't tell, I will."

"But why would you want to go in the first place?" I asked, suddenly vexed. "They're just a bunch of high school fangirls."

Nate laughed and said, "I just want to give the Exorcists of the Black Order a good name. That's not so wrong, is it?"

It's not, actually.

Once we were home, I exercised alone in the training room: push-ups, sits ups, running laps, all the things I once complained about in P.E. I guess now I have more to complain about since I'll be fighting all the time.

Ray walked in while I was lifting dumbbells. We made no small talk; just got right to training. There had been no trace of Kyo the whole time I was in the training room. I wonder where he goes off to during the day, since I never see him around the Order. He probably spends his day watching TV or something when he's not training.

After a boring session of getting my ass kicked, I went to the library and read some more of _D. Gray-man._ Shit's getting real now that the Clan of Noah has been introduced. When I realized it was almost one in the morning and I was still reading, I finished the volume quickly and now I'm here. Struggling to keep writing even though I'm tired as hell.

Well, today was pretty interesting, if I do say so myself.

So, goodnight, Kayla. I miss you more than I could ever describe.


	7. Entry 5

Dear journal,

I know I've only been here five days, but today was the most uneventful.

As usual, in the morning, I had breakfast with Nina and Nate, however this time Bookman joined us. He didn't talk at all, but did smile every so often at our conversations.

After breakfast, Nate and I played soccer in the back yard. I can't tell you how many times I almost kicked the ball into the ocean! Nate, however, is a pro at it. He says he likes to live up to his "Daisya reputation." Still haven't gotten that far in the manga.

We talked a little bit about making Nina that tree house, just for something to do. It'll be hard, but we're going to try to surprise her. Her birthday is in November, so we've got a lot of time to do it.

After a nice day outside with Nate, I trained more with Ray. I think I'm getting better, but she says I'm just getting more aggressive. Which can be both a good thing and bad thing, depending on the situation.

After another awesome dinner with everyone, I read some more of _D. Gray-man._ So, now I know who Lavi and Krory are. Lavi may be a Bookman, but he and Ray are totally different people. It's like Ray took after the old Bookman, and this new Bookman took after Lavi.

The Krory arc really took me by surprise, mostly because of how clueless Krory is of Eliade. His past is pretty sad, though. I can't imagine being shunned from the world all because of some superstition. And, damn, now that I think of it, Allen's past is harsh, too. Parents abandoned him, awesome foster father died, and then he brought him back as an Akuma! I feel bad for poor Allen; he was just a kid, he didn't know what to do.

When I learned what Generals are, I became curious. How does one become a General? Do we already have Generals that I don't know about? I'm going to ask tomorrow. Maybe on the way to the soccer game, I will.

I'm out of the shower now, and one of my favorite shows is on TV. We can get any channel we want on these TVs. We even get the anime channel! That's a good thing, because I don't think _D. Gray-man_ is going to get me through the years. Since there's no internet, I'll have to settle for looking for new anime that's on TV.

I just wish Oliver, Tyler, and Adam were here to watch it with me.

I guess this is goodnight, since I have nothing left to say about today. So, goodnight, Oliver. Goodnight, Tyler. And goodnight, Adam. I hope you're all coping without me. And I hope the anime club hasn't totally crumbled now that I'm gone.


End file.
